Goggles with attached washing means



Feb. 14, 1961 F. A. HOWELL 2,971,196

GOGGLES WITH ATTACHED WASHING MEANS Filed Nov. 5, 1958 United States .Pate f Ce The present invention relates to goggles provided with means for flushingdirt-therefrom.

Whilegoggles-inaccordance with the invention are adapted for usewherever they must be used toprotect the eyes under conditions requiring their being cleaned, while being worn, they are herein discused with particular reference to use by drivers in harness racing. When wet conditions prevail, races are frequently cancelled, particularly at night, because mud, thrown up by the horses hooves, so blinds the drivers that safe racing is impossible. As such interruption of racing schedules is often attended by substantial losses, there is a need for means making it possible for racing to be safely conducted when the track is muddy and the principal objective of the invention is to provide such means.

In accordance with the invention, there are provided goggles having a frame supporting transparent portions, one for each eye, and means to attach the goggles to the head of a driver. Liquid delivering means include a source of liquid under pressure, a tubular member attached to the goggles and disposed and arranged so that liquid delivered through its orifices is directed downwardly against the outer surfaces of the transparent portion of the goggles to flush them, and a flexible conduit, effecting communication between the tubular member and the source,'and provided with a control valve.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of theinvention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of goggles in accordance with the invention, illustrating their use by a driver in harness rac- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the equipment,

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 3--3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the use of another type of control valve.

In Fig. 1, there is indicated a driver 5 seated on a sulky 6 and holding the reins 7 in his hands 8 and 9. Seated as he is, the driver 5 is exposed to receive any dirt thrown up by the hooves of his horse. For that reason it is the practice of the drivers to wear goggles, generally indicated at It When the track is wet, mud thrown against the goggles 10 so obstructs the vision of a driver as to make racing too difiicult and dangerous to continue.

e the frame 11 as by mounts 17 and it' hasone of its ends closed by theplug 18. The member 16 has a plurality 2,971,196 Patented Feb; 14, 1961 of orifices 19 spaced along it and these are so disposed that any fluid delivered therethrough, under pressure, discharges downwardly against the upper partl ofthe outer face of the member 12 to flush the portions-$13 and 14. t 1 A source of liquid under pressure is indicated generally at 20, and preferably is in the form of a knapsackg shown as consisting of an outer case or shell 21,provided-;with strap sections 22 and 23 adapted tobe passed;around the shoulders of thedriver and joined together as by means of the buckles 24. The shell 21 contains flablddder 25 connected to a flexible conduit .26 bythe detachable connector 27 and is joined to the other.end-.of ;the

. tubular header member; 16. The bladder 25 maybe filled whenthe connector :27 is detached and has; a, valve 28 to enable air to be pumped into the bladder 25; to

-The conduit 26 includes a control valve generally indicated at 29 and it will be noted that the conduit 26 is of such length and the valve 29 is so located between the ends thereof that the driver may hold it in one of his hands.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3, the valve 29 may be the conventional type consisting of a length of resilient stock bent to provide end walls 30 and 31 each having a conduit receiving opening and walls 32 and 33 each having a portion 34 shaped and disposed so that in the closed position of the valve, the portions pinch the conduit 26 to prevent flow therethrough. In the closed position, the free end of the wall 32 is caught by the opening in the end wall 31 so that it is only necessary to push the wall 31 forwardly to free the wall 32 which end springs to effect the open position. The valve is closed by pressing the wall 32 downwardly until its free end is again. caught.

The valve 35 shown in Fig. 4 is also adapted to be held in one hand of the driver and to be readily operated bythe thumb or a finger thereof without interfering with the proper handling of the reins 7. The valve 35 has a push rod 36 movable against the action of a spring 37 to effect the open position.

Regardless of the type of valve used or the location or type of source of washing liquid under pressure, it is necessary that the conduit be sufliciently long to enable its valve to be held in one of the drivers hands and to be so constructed that it can be operated thereby without interference with this grip on or use of the reins and without interference with his movements while drivmg.

What I therefore claim Patent is:

1. In combination, goggles for use in harness racing, said goggles comprising a frame provided with transparent portions and with means for attaching said frame to the head of a driver with one portion in front of each of his eyes; and liquid delivery means including a source of liquid under pressure, a tubular member having a series of orifices and affixed against and protruding forwardly as a shield from the upper edge of said goggles with said orifices disposed downwardly towards the upper part of the outer surface of said portions so that liquid delivered through said member flushes said outer surfaces, and a flexible conduit effecting communication between said tubular member and said source and including a normally closed valve dimensioned to be held, together with reins, in one hand and provided-with a member operable by a digit of that hand, without release open the valve.

2. In combination, goggles for use in harness racing,

and desire to secure by Letters said goggles comprising a frame provided with transparent portions and with means for-attaching said frame of the reins, to

to the head of a driver with one portion in front of each a of his eyes, and liquid delivery means including a source of liquid under pressure, means for attaching said source to said driver, a tubular member having a series of orifices and aflixed to said goggles with said orifices disposed downwardly towards the upper part of the outer surface of said portions so that liquid delivered therethrough flushes said outer surfaces, a flexible conduit effecting liquid delivery means including a tubular member having aseries of orifices and affixed against and protruding forwardly as a shield from the upper edge of said frame with said orifices disposed downwardly toward the upper 7 part of the outer surface of said portions so that liquid de- ,4 livered therethrough is directed downwardly against said outerrsurfaces.

4. Goggles for use in harness racing, said goggles comprising a frame provided with transparent portions and with means for attaching said frame to the head of a driver with one portion in front of each of his eyes, and liquid delivery means including a tubular member having a series of orifices and affixed to said frame with said orifices disposed downwardly toward the outer surface of said portions so that liquid delivered therethrough is directed downwardly against said outer surfaces, and a flexible conduit connected to said tubular member and including a normally closed valve dimensioned to be held, together with reins, in one hand and provided with a member operable by a digit of that hand, without release of the reins, to open the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,354,433 De Felice Sept. 28, 1920 1,845,460 Watters Feb. 16, 1932 2,469,273 Parker May 3, 1949 

